Haviva Porter – Executive Director

Haviva has always had a passion for animals; she became a vegetarian at age 3 years and went vegan as an adult. Growing up, she was constantly involved in both animal rights and environmental issues; attending and organizing protests, raising awareness, rescuing animals and spending her time volunteering with a variety of animal charities. She has a specialized honors degree in Environmental Science. Some of the charities she has worked for in the past include, WSPA, Animal Alliance, Earth Day Canada, Toronto Wildlife Centre and Earth Rangers to develop their education programs.

Haviva founded Rabbit Rescue after falling in love with Marbles (the bunny that started it all and the reason that RR exists today!). She realized the huge lack of resources available for domestic rabbits and wanted to change that. While many rabbit rescues could be found in other parts of the world, there were none in Canada! So, with extreme determination and hard work, she would not let anything stand in her way of establishing Rabbit Rescue Inc!

In 2001, she quit her job (environmental education/wildlife rehabilitation) to run the Rescue full time. Starting small, she incorporated the organization and obtained charitable status on her own. Haviva has a knack for bringing good people together, and volunteers quickly followed suit to make Rabbit Rescue what it is today. Rabbit Rescue was the first registered rabbit charity in Canada and has been operating for well over two decades now.

Haviva spends her days (and nights) coordinating with shelters, answering inquiries, running the social media pages, fundraising, arranging medical care for the rabbits, and over seeing the running of the rescue. If she has a rare spare moment, she can be found making tea, hiking, cooking, reading a book while snuggling a bunny, or dreaming of Disney. 

Haviva lives with her 2 daughters, partner and an assortment of loved furry friends.

Haviva can be reached at: haviva@rabbitrescue.ca

Brittany Hamilton – Adoptions and Foster Manager

Brittany became actively involved in rabbits and animal welfare in 2007, when Trixie (pictured below) came into her life sick and needing veterinary care. She quickly realized the lack of information and protections surrounding rabbits as pets. From that point forward, she began to take in injured and chronically ill rabbits, nursing them back to health with the help of an amazing vet, and offering them a place to stay with her. Throughout the years, she has shared her home with many animals in need, including rabbits (of course!), cats, dogs, chinchillas, hamsters, mice… the list goes on!

In October 2018, after volunteering with Rabbit Rescue for a few years, she was offered the position of Adoptions and Foster Manager. She gladly accepted, thrilled to be able to assist more rabbits in need.

Brittany currently lives with her bunnies Peach, Jeff, & TicTac who have taken over her home and her Instagram account! Peach was adopted from Rabbit Rescue in December 2018, and is a constant reminder of the amazing work Rabbit Rescue does to save bunnies every day!

Brittany can be reached at brittany@rabbitrescue.ca

Christina Bub – Online Store Manager

Christina grew up with animals and has always been passionate about creating enriching environments for everything she’s cared for, from fish to dogs.

She has always been interested in bunnies and in 2002 she brought home her first bunny Cody, a white angora cross. Christina found out about Rabbit Rescue in 2009 when looking to adopt her next bunny and fell head over heels for Bean who she adopted in 2010. Since then she has supported Rabbit Rescue, volunteered at Bunfest, helped with the occasional round-up, and fostered a number of RRs tinier rescues; gerbils and hamsters. Christina is currently owned by her bunny Graham, who she adopted from Rabbit Rescue in 2019.

She is excited to have a new way to help out the Rescue – and help more
bunnies – by managing the online store.

Christina can be reached at store@rabbitrescue.ca

Kate Davies – Adoptions and Foster Coordinator

Kate has always cared for environmental issues and animals, especially rabbits, and has been vegan most of her life. Kate has a BSc in Biology and is finishing a MEnvSc in Conservation and Biodiversity.

She began volunteering for Rabbit Rescue by helping to rescue dumped buns, then at Bunfest. She was excited to join Rabbit Rescue as a Adoptions and Foster Coordinator in 2020. She also fundraises for Rabbit Rescue by selling her artwork and doing custom pet portraits.

Kate currently lives with two rescue rabbits, big affectionate buns named Yoshikaze and Rumsey. Rumsey was adopted from Rabbit Rescue in 2019 and was one of the 103 rabbits saved in 2016 from a horrible back yard meat operation. Rumsey is now thriving in her forever home.

Kate can be reached at kate@rabbitrescue.ca

Helen Goreski – Board of Directors

Helen found Rabbit Rescue when she was looking for a new friend for her rabbit, after his mate passed away. Knowing about the number of rabbits in foster care looking for a home, and wanting to support an organization that aligned with her ethics made her glad to find Rabbit Rescue! Having had a wonderful experience adopting from Rabbit Rescue, she wanted to be part of the solution to people dumping their pets outside. She is thrilled to be joining the Rabbit Rescue board and is looking forward to working together to increase education and give every rabbit a second chance at a loving home.

Yvonne Chypchar – Board of Directors

Yvonne feels that Rabbit Rescue is a well-run organization and wants to contribute any strategic planning abilities and resources she can to its future growth and development. Rabbits are a beautiful mix of vulnerable and resilient, loving and curious. They need our help and protection.

Sweet affectionate Hoa bunny was her first foster. She is grateful that she can continue to know about his life as husbun to Daisy bunny in the rabbit community. From a shelter in Las Vegas to a home in Canada, Hoa is a testament to what a network of people can accomplish. 

Emmett Borg – Board of Directors

Emmett is an analytics professional with experience in finance, healthcare, biotechnology, and digital marketing. He holds degrees in Mathematics and Engineering, with a focus on storytelling with data.

His two free roam bunnies Bubs (a Netherland dwarf) and Rory (a Holland lop) keep him constantly entertained and on a tight treat schedule. 

Emmett is passionate about rabbit welfare and aims to drive change through awareness and adding efficiency to the Rescue’s operations wherever possible. Emmett joined the Board in 2023 and can’t wait to make a meaningful difference in rabbits lives.